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Ever been nudged on a packed train and felt a stranger staring at your screen? Samsung thinks it has a solution. The new Galaxy S26 Ultra introduces a hardware-level Privacy Display that selectively darkens pixels at oblique angles, keeping sensitive content visible only to the person directly in front of the phone.
The hardware trick is elegant. Instead of a software blur or a simple vignette, Samsung can dim individual areas of the panel so side viewers see blacked-out sections. Notifications, password fields and pop-ups can be masked automatically when the handset detects you're on the move, or you can toggle the feature yourself. It feels less like a gimmick and more like a sensible privacy guard for crowded commutes.
Under the surface, the S26 Ultra keeps the visual language Samsung users expect: a 6.9-inch LTPO AMOLED at QHD+ with an adaptive 1–120Hz refresh rate and up to 2,600 nits peak local brightness. Corning's Gorilla Armor 2 protects the front while the back uses Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The S Pen remains onboard — magnetic and faithful, though still without Bluetooth — and the ultrasonic fingerprint reader and a 12MP selfie camera return unchanged.
This is a hardware-level privacy feature that dims pixels selectively to block side-glances.
Performance is uniform worldwide. The S26 Ultra ships with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, paired with 12GB of RAM on the base 256GB and the 512GB models, while the 1TB configuration bumps RAM to 16GB. In short: raw power with plenty of headroom for multitasking and on-device AI.
Camera changes are evolutionary rather than revolutionary. The 200MP primary sensor remains but receives a wider f/1.4 aperture for stronger low-light performance — Samsung says it captures about 47% more light than before. Telephoto capabilities include a 10MP 3x unit with a smaller 1/3.94" sensor and a 50MP 5x periscope that now sports an f/2.9 aperture, roughly 37% brighter. The 50MP ultrawide carries over from last year.
Battery capacity stays conservative: 5,000 mAh, the same number Samsung has favored for recent Ultras. The charging story, however, moves forward. Wired speeds jump to 60W, pushing the phone from empty to roughly 75% in about 30 minutes when paired with a compatible charger. Wireless charging supports up to 25W via Qi 2.2, and reverse wireless at 4.5W is available for topping up earbuds or a friend in need.
Software is One UI 8.5 on Android 16, with a stack of Galaxy AI tools baked into everyday apps. Photo Assist brings on-device editing and enhancement to the native Gallery. Creative Studio turns photos and sketches into stickers, wallpapers and cards. Audio Eraser now works with third-party streaming apps to reduce background noise and isolate voices. Call Screening answers and transcribes suspected spam calls. And subtle conveniences like Now Nudge and Now Brief surface contextual shortcuts and information where you need them.
Design tweaks trim the weight and thickness slightly — 214 grams and a 7.2mm profile — swapping a titanium frame for aluminum while retaining a premium look. Color choices include Black, Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue and White, with online-only Silver and Pink Gold finishes sold through Samsung.com.
Pricing starts at €1,450 for the 12GB/256GB model, €1,650 for 12GB/512GB, and €1,950 for the top-tier 16GB/1TB SKU. Pre-orders open immediately, and the phone goes on general sale on March 11. If you value privacy in public and demand flagship silicon, Samsung has packaged both into a familiar Ultra silhouette — and then quietly shaded the sides so no one else can read it.
Source: gsmarena
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